RUGBY – DUBAI Hurricanes made a spectacular second-half comeback to hold defending champions Bahrain Rugby Football Club (BRFC) to a 20-20 draw in a 2023-24 West Asia Premiership fixture at the Sevens Stadium in Dubai last night, denying the Bahraini side a fifth consecutive win in the process.
BRFC – who now lead the seven-team table with 20 points from five games – remain unbeaten this season and are aiming for their fourth championship title on the trot after completing a hat-trick last season, looked set for another comprehensive win after they led 11-3 at half-time.
But the Hurricanes rallied magnificently in the 40-minute second half, adding 17 points to the BRFC’s nine to finally snap their own five-match losing streak.
“This was obviously not what we wanted going into the game,” a disappointed BRFC assistant coach Lindsey Gibson, who also played in the match, told the GDN.
“It wasn’t a terrible performance. We actually played quite well in phases and, in certain parts of the game, we played very well but we just didn’t take advantage of the opportunities we created. Plus, a couple of decisions went against us.
“But credit to the Hurricanes! They played really well and caused us a lot of problems. On another day, we could have just come away with a win, but it wasn’t to be.
“Still, it’s not the end of the world. We’ve got all to play for and it’s still in our hands in terms of trying to make the semi-finals and final. We have a big few weeks ahead of us with a lot of games coming up so it’s good to get back into some kind of rhythm.”
Gibson heaped praise on some of his teammates who, he said, were responsible for very good individual performances in last night’s game.
“Joe Kidgell and Greg Heath were very good in the wings,” he said.
“And Regan Van der Westhuizen had another good game. Also, captain Alastair Crombie was outstanding and led the side very well.”
The BRFC will now play the Doha Rugby Football Centre (Doha RFC) in an away game next weekend and Gibson said he was hopeful that the BRFC would return to its winning ways.
“The result against the Hurricanes wasn’t great but we didn’t lose the game either so we’re still alive and kicking and hope to get ourselves into those final places at the end of the season,” he explained.
“All we have to do now is, as they say, get back on the horse and start winning games again.
“We play Doha RFC on their home turf next Friday so, hopefully, we’ll apply what we learned from our mistakes against the Hurricanes.”
Source – https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/1300370/Hurricanes-in-spectacular-comeback-to-hold-BRFC
